Trade In Human Organs

What is organ transplantation?

An organ transplant is a surgical operation

where a failing or damaged organ in the

human body is removed and replaced with

a new one.

Not all organs are transplanted. The term

“organ transplant” typically refers to

transplants of the solid organs.

Solid transplantable organs: Heart Lungs Liver Pancreas Intestines

Other organs: Eyes, ear & nose Skin Nerves Bone marrow Brain and spinal Cord Skeleton Gall bladder Stomach Muscles

The transplant process

When a person falls ill because one of his or her organs is

failing, or because the organ has been damaged in an

accident, the doctor first assesses whether the person is

medically eligible for a transplant. If so, the doctor refers

the individual to a local transplant centre. The transplant

centre evaluates the patient’s health and mental status as

well as the level of social support to see if the person is a

viable candidate for an organ transplant. If the patient is a

transplant candidate a donor organ must be found.

There are two sources for donor organs:

The first source for organ-removal is from

recently deceased people. These organs are

called cadaveric organs. A person becomes a

cadaveric organ donor by indicating that they

would like to be an organ donor when they die.

The second source for donor organs is a living

person.

Living donors are often related to the patient,

but that is not always the case. Some people

who wish to donate their organs may even

decide to donate their organs to a stranger.

LIVING ORGANDONATION

Living people who wish to donate their organs can donate in

two ways:

1. Donate one-half of a paired organ set.

Example: Kidney

2. Donate a portion of an organ that will still be able to

function without it.

Example: A portion of the liver.

Example: A lobe of the lung

1. Is the selling of spectacles from cadavers morally correct? Provided permission is

given.

Yes, it is morally correct Most important is the consent of the

nearest family members

2. Does that same point apply to full dentures?

Consent of the family is the most important

3. Is the purchase of organs from prisoners

morally justifiable?

As long as organ-donation is not the means

by which the prisoner is killed, obtaining

organs from condemned prisoners is

allowable if the prisoner or their next of kin

consents to donation.

4. Is the purchase of an organ supposedly removed, not illegally, correct?

 If it is a healthy organ and the person or

persons that have the organ can live a

good life with just one it should be

legalized.

5. Who are the appropriate persons or authorities

to give permission for organ harvesting?

If the deceased person’s organ donation wishes

are unknown, the hospital, physician, or organ

procurement organization will approach a

family member to obtain to remove the organs.

The family members with the authority to do

so is generally determined by this hierarchy:

Spouse. If no spouse, then…

Adult child. If no adult children, then…

Parent. If no parents, then…

Adult sibling. If no siblings, then…

Legal guardian.

6. If it leads to a trade in organs, is there a moral dimension

well beyond the business world?

BUYING AND SELLING OF ORGANS

Paying people to donate their kidneys is one of the most contentious ethical issues being debated at the moment.

The most common arguments against this practice include: Donor safety Unfair appeal of financial incentives to the

economically disadvantaged Turning the body into a money-making tool Wealthy people would be able to access organs

more readily.

An article that examined the effects of offering payment

for kidneys in India was published in the Journal of the

American Medical Association. The findings uncovered

some interesting data:

96% of people sold their kidneys to pay off debt.

74% of people who sold their kidneys still had debt 6

years later.

86% of people reported a deterioration in their health

status after donation.

79% would not recommend to others that they sell their

kidneys.

7. Criterion for the declaration of being ‘dead’

A person should be both physically and

mentally dead, i.e. “permanently and

irreversibly dead”

A person is considered dead once either

the heart stops beating or brain function

ceases. (Brain Death-Test)

What is your opinion of an entrepreneur who believes in

recycling for the benefit of the living?

With the death of a person the soul leaves the

human form and doesn’t have anything to do

with the body. The body is left to become dust.

Therefore donation of organ from a dead only

would give a life to another person and he

would have a meaningful life. As the holi

scripture says, all human beings are

dependent on each other therefore they should

help each other even in death.